Causes of civil war

Definition

The combination of factors that led to the American Civil War (1861–1865), primarily centered on slavery, states' rights, and sectional economic differences. Tensions escalated through decades of compromise failures, abolitionist movements, and the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, which prompted Southern secession.

Examples

  • The Missouri Compromise (1820) and Compromise of 1850 temporarily delayed conflict over slavery's expansion
  • The Dred Scott decision (1857) ruled that enslaved people were not citizens and had no legal rights
  • Abraham Lincoln's election in 1860 triggered the secession of seven Southern states before his inauguration
Key Fact

South Carolina was the first state to secede on December 20, 1860.

Related Terms

Slavery origins Civil war battles Reconstruction Manifest destiny

Study This Concept

Practice causes of Civil War with free review games in these units:

AP US History Unit 5: 1844-1877: Civil War and Reconstruction